There are several reasons why I’m largely out of the comics inking game- none of which I’ll bore you with. But! I’ll bore you with the reasons why I dive back in from time to time: generally, it’s because I like the property and/or the artist. Fortunately for me, the last book I inked, Vincent Price Presents: Dead Air, is a delicious combination of the two. Inking Vincent Price? Yes, please. Inking over the fabulous Brent Schoonover‘s pencils? Yes, please.
My work on the book was completed months and months (and months) ago, but I think the issue may finally hit stands very soon. If it hasn’t already. There’s not much info about it out there- publisher Bluewater Productions is more interested in making waves with their weird biographical comics line (a Nancy Pelosi comic? Hmm. Alright then.)- but you may come across it if you’re the type to hit comic shops.
Not gonna lie, however: I saw a few preview pages and the colors made me want to curl up and die. No offense intended to the colorist, but they didn’t seem to fit the vibe of the story much at all…and frankly, in the pages I saw, much of the linework was obliterated. My heart, she broke!
I love inking Brent’s pencils not only because his pencils are, you know, really effing good, but also because I think our styles suit each other. I tend to lay a chunky, brushy line- I know this sometimes doesn’t work so well over the way kids draw nowadays. But Brent’s work is a bit retro, sort of Jack Kirby-meets-Bruce Timm. There’s an old-school animated look to it, and I can dig right in with thick contours and feathering galore. Looking back at Vincent Price Presents, I think it’s some of the best work I’ve done- not that I’ve been inking for 50 years and “best work I’ve done” is really saying something, but I’m proud of my brushwork. So there.
Here’s a page without the offending colors; there are a few more in the inks gallery if you want to take a peek. And check out the book if you can find it! 